When I started detecting, I didn’t use a pinpointer. I don’t know or remember how I managed to find my targets without one, but I do recall the feeling of frustration.
My Dad, being a detectorist himself, graciously gave me a
White’s Bullseye as a gift. I was excited to try it out, and after a few hours with it, I decided pinpointers were the greatest invention of all time. My biggest fear in life suddenly became the fear of my pinpointer becoming lost or broken.
My unusual attachment to my Garrett Pro-pointer began when I received it as a late, but thoughtful gift from some guy who had forgotten Valentines Day. In his defense, Valentine’s Day did fall on “Detecting Day”, but c’mon, how obsessed do you have to be to forget Valentine’s Day?
Anyway, the guy turned out to be a less than desirable find, but the pro-pointer turned out to be the gift that kept on giving, literally.
Being female, I don’t have the upper arm strength of my male counterparts, so I’ve sometimes abandoned a partially dug hole because the target was too deep. My old pinpointer didn’t pinpoint as deeply as my Garrett, and just wasn’t picking up what my machine was telling me was there. I would become tired and frustrated and move on. However, the Garrett is so accurate in telling me something is there, just a few inches deeper, that it makes me want to give that extra effort and energy to find that target. On the flip side, it also lets me know when to walk away ‘cause if my Garrett isn’t picking it up after a bit, it’s probably too much effort, or too deep for me to retrieve it anyway.
The Whites Bullseye is still a good pinpointer, and I keep it as a back up. But for a woman in the field, who is limited by arm strength, I feel the Garrett Pro-pointer is the better choice. Whichever pinpointer you choose though, male or female, having one is key.
Would feel undressed detecting without my Garrett pinpointer.
http://bit.ly/KMEC7e
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So I am not alone I see.
DD,
Glad to see that your less than ideal relationship ended up giving you a keeper as a side bonus…..I’ve got a pinpointer around here somewhere or other but rarely use it unfortunately.
Regards + HH
Bill
Yes, they say people come into our lives for a reason. Guess his was to gift me a pinpointer.
I don’t know how you find your targets without one. I think I would go mad. Perhaps it’s a matter of patience?
DD,
Well in my case I’m pretty much crazy all ready so with or without a pinpointer no big deal….lol.
Regards + HH
Bill
With how wet our summers are and all the fields turning to mud a pro pointer is an absolute necessity.
I remember the time I was on a rally in the middle of the Hertfordshire countryside, it was raining and the field we were on soon became sodden and sticky.
I luckily had with me my trustee waterproofs and wellington boots so was able to continue detecting throughout the downpour, besides, it was nice having the field all to myself.
After about 10 minutes I got a small and iffy signal from beneath a large clump of oil seed rape plants, after removing the plug from the hole the signal seemed to vanish from under my Explorer 11, I decided that it must have been a “bad” target as the Explorer 11 never lies and decided to refill the hole, I don’t know why but for some reason I firstly thrust my pin pointer in the bottom of the hole, maybe it was out of frustration of digging a hole in such terrible conditions and finding nothing , who knows,but, it immediately let out its high pitched shrill, I pulled it out and stuck to the end of it was a small shiny, silver disc, my heart began to race as I could just make out the outline of a dis-jointed horse on the coin.
Believe it or not it turned out to be a silver unit of the Celtic Dobunni tribe that had adhered itself to my pro pointer……
Lessons learned = 1)the Explorer never lies and 2) if in doubt use the pro pointer just to make sure, you just never know .
What a great story.
I also have a hard time giving up on a signal. Sometimes, as in your case it pays off. Glad you followed through on that one. Congrats!
It pays to have proper rain gear too.
I love relating old detecting stories, it somehow allows you to relive the thrill you got when the original find took place, and as for the Garrett Pro-pointer, I wouldn’t leave home without it.
I agree the pinpointer is a tool that I would go crazy without. I remember going without and I have to think I left targets in the ground.. At the time I didn’t know my detector enough to know how sensitive or deep it would go. I would just dig a plug and look for the item.. Glad yhose days are gone!
Me too! I know I used to eventually find the target, maybe my eyes were better then, or I paid more attention ’cause I didn’t have a pinpointer. Either way, I’m not giving it up….ever.
I remember when I first started out some years ago. I didn’t want to splurge for the garrett pro pointer so I went with one of those cheapo Centech pinpointers from the local harbor freight store.
I suppose it served it’s function but after a while I just go sick of it. Years later when i finally upgraded to the propointer it was like night and day!
I also have a Harbor Freight pinpointer. A club member suggested it, and I tried it out. There is no comparison with the ProPointer, but it makes for a handy extra to have just in case. Happy Hunting!